A long way yet to go
by smaragdbird
Summary: It's an old saying that one wedding leads to another Steve/Tony, Coulson/Hawkeye, Darcy/Loki slash and het


The wedding was a surprisingly quiet affair with only a handful guests but Clint suspected that that was Steve's doing since he knew Tony's penchant for flashy parties only too well.

Instead there were about thirty people gathered in the backyard of one of Tony's smaller and more secluded houses.

Clint watched Tony and Steve dance, wrapped around each other and whispering quietly, oblivious around to everyone around them,

"Makes one almost believe in romance again, doesn't it?" Darcy asked, having sidled up next to him.

"Almost," His eyes flickered briefly to Coulson which going by her grin Darcy seemed to have noticed.

"Planning to make an honest man of him?" She asked cheekily. "Alternatively you could just ask me to dance."

"And risking Loki's wrath? Thanks but no."

"Loki's only reasonably jealous."

"How is giving Tony's friend Rhodey green hair for speaking with you reasonably jealous?"

"Well he was flirting with me," Darcy shrugged. "But of course we can stand here and pretend to discuss deep space science while gossiping instead." She nodded towards the group consisting of Bruce, Selvig, Loki and Jane. Her comment about Thor saying that magic and science were the same in Asgard had sparked the discussion. Not far from them Fury seemed to have a pleasant conversation with Tony's driver Happy and Coulson was dancing with Pepper. Next to the buffet Natasha was flirting with the newly green-haired Rhodey.

"If you got gossip that Natasha missed, hit me," Clint challenged Darcy.

"Erik's got a crush on Bruce?"

"Heard that one."

"Maria Hill is in a relationship with Volstagg?"

"It's Sif actually."

"Fury is one of Loki's kids?"

"Isn't he? You should know your future step-children." Darcy stuck her tongue out at him.

"Steve was in love with Tony's dad during the war."

"You're making this one up."

"Well, he could have been," Darcy suddenly grinned mischievously. "At the last Shield's lady's poker night's "Marry, shag, throw of a cliff" every woman present agreed to marry Coulson."

"What?"

"This woman included," Her grin turned smug. "And I think we can add Bruce to the list." The band was playing a faster jazz tune now and Clint could see that Bruce was indeed dancing with Coulson.

"You'll excuse me," Darcy walked over to Loki, dragging him onto the dance floor as well. Happy was swirling Pepper around with more skill than Clint had expected of him. Thor's dancing skills left something to be desired but going by the smouldering looks she gave him, bruised toes turned Jane on. Steve and Tony were also still dancing, in tune with the music and both were laughing when Steve dipped Tony, still oblivious to the people around them.

"Makes one almost believe in romance again, doesn't it?" Natasha asked, nodding to Tony and Steve.

"Not you as well," Clint groaned. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Darcy said exactly the same thing."

"She more or less brought Loki to our side by herself. Arguments are in her favour."

"Next thing we'll see you walking down the aisle," Clint teased her.

"I think you're confusing the two of us," She gave him one of her rare grins. "I'm not the one in a long-term relationship."

"Do you want to dance?" He asked her before she could tease him anymore.

"Subtle," she murmured ironically but took his hand.

Only after a few steps the music was interrupted by Tony who had climbed onto the stage together with Steve.

"HI everyone, thanks for coming and everything." He grinned, doubtlessly absolutely happy.

"Since it's an old and honoured tradition that actually resulted in my parents' marriage and hence in this one," everyone laughed, "everyone who's already married should remove themselves from the vicinity."

Of course it was Clint who caught the damn bouquet to the amusement of everyone else.

"Don't go for a name change, it would be unnecessarily confusing," Fury told him in passing.

"Don't look at me," Natasha said immediately. "It's not my fault you caught it."

/

The party was dying down slowly. Most guests were staying overnight and Clint new that Shield had given everyone invited the next day off as well. One of the perks when the director was one of said guests.

But no one really wanted to find out if this house had sound-proof bedrooms or not and hence gave Tony and Steve some privacy.

The band was still playing, something slow and vaguely latin sounding. Pepper was still dancing with Happy, swaying slowly and in general looking like Steve and Tony had done earlier. Fury of all people was dancing with Loki, something Darcy and Natasha obviously tried not to giggle about too loudly. Jane was discussing something again with Selvig, seemingly too involved to notice that Thor had tried to gain her attention a couple times until he had given up and asked Coulson instead, something Clint tried not to feel jealous about because it was unreasonable and ridiculous but Thor's hands rested way too low on Coulson's hips and Clint had firsthand knowledge about how effective Thor's charm could be when he wanted it to be. And right now Thor was smiling a bit too much about whatever Coulson was saying to him.

"You could just ask him, you know?" Bruce sat down next to him.

"Ask who what?" Bruce rolled his eyes at him.

"Coulson, to dance with you, so that you don't glare at everyone else who dares to ask him. He's a very good dancer, you know."

"You'd know," Clint muttered more to himself than to Bruce but Bruce still laughed at him.

"You're actually jealous, aren't you?" He seemed to be greatly amused by that.

"I'm reasonably jealous." Clint replied and Bruce laughed again.

"I'm not sure that's invented yet." He stood up when he saw Coulson approaching them.

Clint watched him sitting down opposite him. He had lost his tie somewhere between now and the beginning of the reception. He could see the faint sheet of sweat on Coulson's skin which unleashed arousal and desire in his stomach.

He didn't even say anything when Coulson unashamedly stole his beer and drank it. Suddenly he was acutely aware of the bouquet on the chair next to him. Clint didn't make any quip about dancing because he wasn't sure if Coulson wouldn't hear the jealousy from his tone.

Coming to a decision Clint took a straw, tied it into a ring and put in on Coulson's ring finger, looking hopeful.

"You're not doing this just because you caught the bouquet, right?" Clint shook his head.

"Fine," Coulson sighed. "Just assure me that you have an actual ring somewhere."


End file.
